Categories
Baltics 2025

Fjord cruise

I eschew cruises unless it is the only way to get to see a place. I am not into thousands of fellow cruises consuming massive amounts of smorgasbord food herded like cattle onto organised shore tours. I am all for independent exploration and the adventures that entails.

Norwegian fjords are one such area. On land road infrastructure is often suboptimal and the view from the sea is spectacular. My interest was further piqued when I researched the area and discovered that this route cannot be covered by mega cruise ships. The original route was licensed  to Hurtigruten in 1893 to provide vital transport and communication links to Norway’s rugged coastline. More recently a new player in Havila has entered the arena and we have paid to go on the Havila Polaris the newest ship in the fleet.

We are heading south from Kirkenes to Bergen and every spot on the map is a stop. Most are short stops to drop off ferry passengers and supplies. We cruise passengers number around 150 and are free to leave the ship on the longer stopovers which go from 1 to 3 hours.

We board our ship ahead of schedule to check in. The pretty little blond behind the counter gets our details and then serves up a surprise. She offers us an upgrade, not for free but she has the best suite on the ship available for a $2000 discount. It is still another $3000 extra charge. I turn to the right my eyes meet with my life partner and I knew there could only be one answer. It is the top floor lighthouse suite for us.

We go upstairs and open the door. As young people today say OMG! The suite is massive and luxurious with a separate living room, dining room, bedroom and bathroom with shower and bath. The coup de gras is the long balcony with our own private jacuzzi!

Decadent suite
Mealtimes as the scenery rolls by.

We finally leave Kirkenes as the arctic islets on either side pass us by.

Kirkenes
Categories
Baltics 2025

Snow Hotel

There was a Bond movie that featured an ice hotel which piqued my curiosity at the time. Researching Norway I came across the Snow Hotel in Kirkenes which is where our Fjord cruise will depart. It’s a done deal and booked. It is the only ice hotel that operates year round by uniquely trapping huge mounds of snow at the end of autumn and trapping them under canvas until the next autumn snows.

Foyer of Snow Hotel
The Snow mound encasing our rooms

Kirkenes is a dull little Arctic village with little to commend it. It is high in the Arctic circle uniquely placed only 14 km from the Russian border and just above the Finnish border as part of Norway it is an hour ahead of Finland despite being to the east of Helsinki an hour behind. There is no direct road link south to the capitol Oslo but there are various border crossings into Finland and the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk is only 3 hours drive away. This tiny outpost by virtue of its strategic position featured in WW2. It suffered 320 German bombing raids and was hardest struck by the Germans who were attempting to use the city as a base for invading Russia. Only 39 houses were left standing when invading Russian forces liberated it from Nazi control in
October 1944.

Church
Monument to WW2 Soviet Liberators
The Liberators become potential predators


Back at the Snow Hotel we partake of the afternoon reindeer feeding under the guidance of the indigenous Sami whimsically named John Henry. Many of the Sami continue to lead a semi nomadic existence herding the reindeer and they are the only people allowed to own reindeer under Norwegian law.


Then there is the walk through the enclosure for their 160 Arctic Husky dogs who are quite boisterous when we arrive. Nonetheless they are friendly and all amenable for a pat. Our favourite is the golden coloured Kodiak who lies languidly on his kennel and loves a belly rub.

Kodiak


After dinner it is shots in the ice bar. Time accelerates and finally it is time to kit up for the sleep in our ice room. The temperature is -3 C and our beds as well as the room are all made of ice. There is a small vinyl mattress inlay and animal fur beneath our plush warm sleeping bags. We don our thermals a balaclava and warm woolly socks. I help my life partner to settle into her sleeping bag but the anxious look on her face tells the story. She confesses that she is unlikely to cope with this and may go upstairs and sleep on the couch in the lounge. She finally settles and I am amazed to still find her lying beside me when morning arrives. A truly amazing, once in a lifetime experience.

Categories
Baltics 2025

Tiger city

No I am not in Richmond, silly. I am in the capitol of Norway, Oslo. Norwegian poet Bjornsterne Bjornson described the city then as dangerous, cold and challenging symbolised by a tiger attacking a horse. Overtime the meaning evolved from one of danger to a symbol of the city’s dynamic, exciting and vibrant
character. Despite the nearest Tiger in the wild being half a planet away, standing proud outside the Central Railway station is a huge bronze statue of the city’s emblem, the tiger. Suzanne and I rub its nose for luck and head off to our spacious Central City apartment.

Oslo is a very walkable city and we drop our bags in our apartment at 4:30 pm and take advantage of sunshine and blue skies to catch the city sights close to our apartment.

Cathedral
Parliament
Anti Russian protest
Akershus fotress
Oslo Harbour

The next morning more typical overcast conditions greet us as we continue our walking tour. First stop was the large, ultramodern opera house. Completed in 2007 the concept is to make it appear as though it arises out of the fjord. Constructed out of Italian white marble the design allows for the general public to walk up to the roof and enjoy views of Oslo.

Opera House
Floating saunas in Oslo Fjord

Adjacent is the Munch museum, dedicated to Norway’s best known Edvard Munch. Everyone would be familiar with the “scream” series of paintings completed a century ago. Amazingly there are only 3 up for exhibition here and it is in a hall unlike anything I have ever seen. I did not know this but he painted these on paper and cardboard and they are deteriorating especially on exposure to light. So in this darkened room are 3 behind closed doors and only one opening at any time for viewing. Nonetheless these are
iconic artworks and not to be missed. He was also a prolific artist and his nudes and people pictures are fascinating. I am not an expert but his brushstrokes and use of light reminds me of the Impressionists a genre that I love.

Scream paintings

We swing by the Nobel Peace prize hall in the drizzle and the rain intensifies for our visit to the Royal Palace to see a soggy changing of the guard ceremony.

Nobel Peace prize Hall
Changing of guard Royal Palace

I had pre-booked a fjord cruise in the Oslo fjord and despite the constant rain it was both scenic and enjoyable. We completed our Oslo stay with dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant for a six course degustation and wine pairing. Both were spectacular and worth the obscene bill at the end.

Oslo Fjord cruise

My observations on Norway and Oslo in particular are highly positive. The friendly customs officer at the airport engaged in small talk and with a broad smile said “Welcome to the Kingdom of Norway”. The airport is ultra quiet and there are only 2 international aircraft at the terminal. The transport system is seamless and efficient. The city is spotlessly clean and the streets are all quiet as this place is ultra “green” and all the vehicles are silent electrically powered. There is one downside, everything is ferociously expensive with prices varying from 25-50% higher than in Australia. It is one of those places where it is better not to do the conversion as you pay for things but survey the beating that the credit card
takes at the end of the trip. I am not planning to retire in the near future but the cost of this place will move that retirement back even further.

Categories
Cook Islands

Island of wine

A 40 minute ferry trip from Auckland takes us to Waiheke Island. With 9,100 permanent population it’s actually the third most populous island of NZ. An additional 3400 people have holiday homes on the island. There are twenty wineries here producing and selling wines at the upper end of the market with hefty price tags. We have a weekend here to sample the products of the grape.

As novelist John Steibeck wrote “all good plans of mice and men are apt to go awry”. I am on day three of a sinus infection and can barely taste anything. A first world problem for sure But I am somewhat disconsolate on arrival here.

I am in luck, however, this compact little island packs quite a scenic punch and day 1 we take a scenic drive around the island.

Matiatia Bay where the ferry lands
Onetangi Bay
Man O’ War Bay
Cowes Bay
Arran Bay
Orapiu
Merlot cottage, our accommodation at Mudbrick Winery
Sunset from our cottage

Day 2 sees no improvement so we seek out more secluded beauty spots and have a long dip in the outside spa overlooking the rolling green hills and vineyards down to Auckland harbour.

Our accommodation at Mudbrick winery
Small patch of national park at the cascades
Oneroa Bay
Palm Beach

A special call out to the magnificent mother of our 4 sons on mother’s day today. She is an amazing mum as evidenced by the calibre of the 4 fine men I call my sons and a beloved mother in law and grandmother to our 4 beautiful, adored grandchildren. Beyond that she is the best wife a man could ask for. I love you Suzanne!

What’s it for this trip. Late August we will spend 4 weeks travelling through the Baltic states. With the recent cease fire and possibly even peace talks between Russia and Ukraine later this week maybe a cheeky visit into Ukraine to Kiev and Lviv is on the cards. Stay tuned!

Categories
Cook Islands

Farewell to paradise

Our final day was spent enjoying the idyllic surroundings of our resort and I’ve just assembled a self indulgent melange Of this beautiful spot. One which my life partner after enduring a nasty 6 months of illness and cardiac procedures wants to return to again.

Entrance to resort
Our villa

Our flight out again affords us what are the last glimpses of paradise on earth.

Our resort “Private Island” on the left
Aitutaki
Back to Raratonga
Categories
Cook Islands

Aitutaki

Always keen to get an independent take on my destination I rent a car for a day. It is brought on time to my resort but the person delivering it says he has left the paperwork for me to sign back at the office. He just takes a photo of my driver’s license and leaves the car with the instructions to leave it at the end of the day with the key in it and they will pick it up. I complied of course. It’s a commentary on islander life that 2 days later the car was still there. In the first instance no one stole it, in the second there was no tearing demand for them to re-hire it

Our first destination was the sleepy main town Arutanga, grassy spread out with a sprinkling of basic shops. At the far end of town is the oldest church in Cook Islands, the Cook Island Christian Church built in 1828. The islands accepted Christianity in 1821 when preacher John Williams of Tahiti landed here on the way to Sydney seeking medical treatment for his wife. He secured an agreement from the chief and left two Tahitian preachers Papeiha and Vahapata to convert the islands.

Arutanga church

The conversion to Christianity was not without struggle. The neighbouring town of Vaipae went to war Arutanga to oppose the change of religion. 2 years after the arrival of Williams. They lost the ensuing battle. Now outside the whitewashed church in Vaipae stands the rock where the warrior men slit their arms after the loss allowing their blood to bleed onto the rock and reluctantly accepted Christianity.

Te Poaki: Ka Ru Te Au in Vaipae

Further away the villagers of Tautu built a church named Silo in 1888 to relieve the villagers of Tautu from having to walk 3km each way across the island to celebrate mass on a Sunday. All that is left today is a memorial as a cyclone in 1914 destroyed it.

Silo 1 memorial

We had lunch in the beautifully appointed Pacific resort, the other luxury resort here. On the grounds there is the remnants of a Marae. These were the villages’ meeting places and sites where important decisions were made. The ground was designated as tapu (taboo) and remains so to this day.

Lunch at Pacific resort
Marae

After lunch we drove to Piraki lookout with a view across to the west.

Piraki Lookout

This was followed by the steep climb up to Maunga Pu at 124 the highest point on the island affording magnificent 360 degree views.

Ootu peninsula where the airstrip is and at the end is our Private Island resort
View from Maunga Pu
Categories
Cook Islands

The Coral Route

Tasman Empire Airways Limited (yes TEAL!) operated between 1940 and 1965. It’s main run was trans Tasman but between 1951 and 1960 it took over a route known as the Coral Route. The route followed a loop from Auckland (NZ) with stops in Fiji (Suva), Samoa (Apia), Cook Island (Aitutaki) and Tahiti (Papeete). Due to issues in Tahiti the loop was serviced by seaplanes landing and refuelling in lagoons. Celebrities who took this voyage included John Wayne, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando and Queen Elizabeth 11. Luxury travel then was done in style!

The first stop on our lagoon cruise day is Akaiami Island at the beach where the planes landed to refuel. In those days passengers could relax on lounges on the beach and go swimming. Marlon Brando came back here to stay while filming Mutiny on the Bounty in 1962. The remnants of the dock are slowly being reclaimed by the sea. 

Coral rock dock

Motu Rako Island is our next stop as we explore the tropical forest passing by Black Rock beach.

The “piece de resistance” was being dropped off the back of the boat near the other reef in among coral gardens tropical fish giant clams and a school of massive giant trevally darting around and between us.

One Foot Island is our lunch stop and tie for more snorkelling. The name of this island has a poignant backstory. It’s only inhabitants were a father and his son. Facing a hostile tribe approaching the island the father instructed his son to walk along the beach to hide behind the massive aerial roots of a pandanus tree. As the son walked the father walked in the son’s footprints conveying the impression in the sand that he was the only inhabitant. The invaders found the father and killed him leaving the island not suspecting the existence of the son.

Categories
Cook Islands

“Bounty” full Island

On 11 April 1789 Captain of the Bounty, William Bligh was the first European to to map and land on Aitutaki. It is said he introduced papaya plants here. Of course as they say, the rest is history. 17 days later Fletcher Christian led the famous mutiny on the Bounty, relieving Bligh of his command and casting him adrift in a small boat assuming that he would die.

Today Aitutaki Island is a 40 minute flight from Rarotonga on a small twin prop aircraft that zig zags between the islands 7 times a day. Descending low to land on the US built WW2 airstrip the beauty of this atoll and the turquoise water lagoon protecting it is breathtaking.

We are welcomed at the tiny terminal with singing and a floral lei.

A 5 minute drive takes us to our own Private Island resort. The first impression is paradise on earth. Languid palm trees lean over pristine white sand beaches lappd gently by turquoise sea waves. Our villa is luxurious and we quickly discover the joys of the warm private infinity plunge pool just metres from our own private stretch of beach.

Categories
Cook Islands

Rarotonga

The main road is a ring road that hugs the beaches. In a cute twist there are two buses that circulate on this road and one is labelled “clockwise” and the other “counterclockwise”. I have rented a car and the total drive time is 40 minutes.

On Saturday morning the market in the main town of Avarua is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. Mid morning they put on a free dance show.

Market
Cultural show

After lunch I take the steep walk up to Wigmore Falls. Sadly during the dry season it is reduced to a trickle.

Wigmore Falls

On the way down I wander through a bizarre tourist “attraction”, the derelict Sheraton Hotel complex abandoned in 1993. The story behind this is fascinating. In 1987 an Italian construction company presented the Cook Island government a proposal to build their first 5 star hotel. The Cook Island Government signed a $52 million deal with an Italian bank to fund the development. In 1990 at the sod turning ceremony a local family disputing the ownership of the land placed a curse upon it. Not long after the construction company went broke. A second Italian construction resumed work until the Italian Government withdrew its guarantee amid rumours of Mafia involvement. The Cook Island government remained liable for the interest on the loan which grew to $120 million, almost bankrupting the country. The resulting wave of government cuts resulted in a wave of migration to NZ.

Sheraton

We drive around the island stopping for photos.

Avarua Christian Church, oldest in Cook Islands built from limestone in 1828
St Joseph Catholic Cathedral
View from our lunch at Charlies Cafe
Rugged mountainous interior

Late in the afternoon we take a long stroll along the white sand beach and stop for a dip on the beach opposite Government House before our last dinner on the island.

Government House
Dinner overlooking the lagoon at Antipodes restaurant
Categories
Cook Islands

Turtles

Snorkelling with turtles is a popular tourist activity and I am in there with bells on. My life partner declines the invitation so I set out early in the morning to Ariki tours and they kit us up with well oiled efficiency and soon we are walking across the lagoon to the Avaavaaroa passage, a small break in the reef to allow us out of the lagoon into the sea. Unsurprisingly it is also a spot with strong tricky currents as the “Danger, beware of currents” sign on the beach reflects.

In addition to the standard snorkelling gear we have an underwater sea scooter strapped to our right wrist. It’s a nifty little James Bond like gadget that whisks us from the beach to the reef in no time at all. In addition I have Chris’ GoPro attached to the scooter and have my new little underwater water camera also strapped to my right wrist. In all I have 3 completely new gadgets to wrestle with and it is probably a mistake. Especially as our guides are taking professional quality images which they upload for us as part of the package.

Me fussing around with equipment
Manta rays on the bottom

The reef drops away and initially all I see is clear deep blue water. Then a turtle deep down on a rock ledge comes into view. We all experience multiple turtle sightings both far and near at one point the current pushed me within a few centimetres of a turtle up near the surface and it took a huge effort to battle the current and avoid a collision.

My turtle pictures

After a magic hour we scooter back into the lagoon for the boat ride to the shore.